Sparks Routed by Monarchs
Yolanda Griffith scored 20 points and had seven rebounds to lead the Sacramento Monarchs to a 68-51 victory over the Sparks on Thursday night in front of 7,625 in Arco Arena in Sacramento.
Griffith, a candidate to be added to the U.S. Olympic basketball team, outplayed Spark center and Olympian Lisa Leslie, who scored only four points before fouling out with 56 seconds remaining.
“This is probably the worst game I’ve ever had,” Leslie said. “What did I have, four offensive fouls? It was just really frustrating for me in every aspect.”
Tangela Smith had 13 points and nine rebounds, including her 1,000th career board, for the Monarchs (2-3), who recorded their largest margin of victory over the Sparks.
Mwadi Mabika had 11 points to lead the Sparks (3-3), who shot 25% from the field (seven of 28) in the second half.
The Sparks looked vulnerable even before Leslie picked up her second and third fouls barely two minutes into the second half.
The Sparks led, 33-31, at halftime, but Leslie had scored only two points, making one of five shots.
Griffith, who scored 11 points in the first half, made back-to-back baskets to cut the Sparks’ advantage to one point four minutes into the second half.
When Smith converted a three-point play with just over 13 minutes left, the Monarchs led, 40-39. They would not trail again.
The Sparks trailed early until rookie reserve Christi Thomas made a three-point basket for a 19-17 lead. Reserve forwards Tamika Whitmore and Laura Macchi helped the Sparks in the first half with six points each.
New York 71, Houston 62 -- The Liberty blew a 16-point second-half lead in front of 6,787 in Houston but was able to hold on and defeat the Comets for the second time in 10 days.
The Liberty, which extended its winning streak to five games, beat the Comets, 68-62, on May 23 at Madison Square Garden.
Sheryl Swoopes scored a game-high 19 points for the Comets, who lost their second straight game and fell to 1-2 at home.
New York took a 44-28 lead with an 8-3 run to start the second half. Tari Phillips (11 points) made a pair of layups, including a reverse with 17:03 left, to give the Liberty their biggest lead of the game.
But Houston responded with a 21-6 run and took its second lead of the game when Swoopes made a 17-foot jump shot with 8:01 left.
After the Comets took a 53-52 lead with 7:21 left, Becky Hammon led the way with six points and helped the Liberty close the game with a 19-9 run.
Connecticut 71, Charlotte 62 -- The Sun led by nine points at halftime and pulled away in the first five minutes of the second half with a 12-4 run in front of 4,312 at Uncasville, Conn.
Rookie Lindsay Whalen had seven points in the run that gave the Sun a 46-29 lead.
Connecticut led by as many as 19 points down the stretch and the Sting would get no closer than 10 the rest of the way.
Seattle 72, Phoenix 45 -- Lauren Jackson finished with 15 points after going scoreless in the first half, helping the Storm win in front of 7,668 in Seattle.
Diana Taurasi, the first overall pick of the 2004 draft, didn’t score for the first 13 minutes of the game and finished with six points, making only three of 10 shots for the Mercury.
After missing her only attempt in the first half, Jackson scored nine points in the first 3:48 of the second half. She finished making seven of 11 from the field and extended her streak of double-digit scoring to 58 games.
Minnesota 55, San Antonio 47 -- The Lynx outscored the Silver Stars, 10-2, over the final 3:15 in front of 6,011 at Minneapolis.
LaToya Thomas had 12 points for the Silver Stars, who lost their second in a row.
San Antonio took a 41-40 lead with 5:20 to play, but Katie Smith made a three-point basket and four free throws in the final three minutes for the Lynx.